The City Goes Smart.With Infrastructure That Works.

From full trash bins to free parking spots. We deliver the IoT foundation for efficient municipalities and livable cities. Scalable LoRaWAN networks, robust sensors and open data platforms.

  • LoRaWAN City Networks
  • GDPR-Compliant Parking
  • Open Data Ready
City Monitor11:59:33 AM
Parking
2 Free4 Occupied
Utilization:
67%
Waste Bins2 Full
85%
30%
60%
95%

Inefficiency in City Administration.

Cities are drowning in traffic and waste - and in manual processes. Garbage trucks service half-empty bins while drivers spend 20 minutes searching for parking.

Parking Search Traffic

30% of inner-city traffic is parking search. This strains air quality and nerves.

Smart Parking

Ground sensors detect free spots in real-time. Parking guidance systems direct cars straight to their destination.

Fixed Waste Routes

Trash bins in parks or pedestrian zones overflow while others are emptied half-full.

On-Demand Collection

Smart Waste sensors measure fill levels. City cleaning only goes where it's needed.

Data Silos

Each department has its own systems. Parks, public works and utilities work in isolation.

Urban Data Platform

One shared LoRaWAN network for all applications. One central data platform.

The Digital Backbone of the City.

merkaio core

Robust outdoor sensors (IP67/IK10) from Milesight. Vandal-proof and weather-resistant for public spaces.

merkaio ops

Operation of the city-wide LoRaWAN network. We manage gateways on city halls, schools and high-rises.

merkaio dev

Integration of data into municipal control systems, citizen apps or Open Data portals (CKAN).

Applications for Modern Municipalities.

Smart Parking

Manage parking efficiently.

Monitor EV charging stations (against wrong parking), disabled parking or loading zones.

No cameras needed = 100% data privacy.

Smart Waste Management

Garbage collection on demand.

Measures the distance to waste in containers. Even detects if the lid is open.

Route optimization, less CO2, cleaner city centers.

Environmental Monitoring

Measure quality of life.

Level sensors at waterways (flood protection), noise sensors on streets, air quality (particulates) at schools.

Data foundation for policy decisions and environmental protection.

Urban Cockpit.

All data flows into one central dashboard.

  • Live Map

    Status of all trash bins and parking spots in real-time (Green/Yellow/Red).

  • Statistics

    Parking utilization over the week. Waste volume by district.

  • Citizen Info

    Public dashboards for transparency. Open Data APIs for developers.

Integration into your system?

merkaio dev connects the data to your existing citizen app or municipal control system.

Urban Cockpit
Live
OK
Warning
Critical
Parking
3 ok1 warn1 full
Waste
2 ok1 warn2 full

Technology for Public Spaces.

Milesight EM400-TLD

Milesight EM400-TLD

The Fill Level Watcher

ToF Laser for trash bins & containers.

  • Precision: Laser technology measures fill level exactly, even with uneven waste.
  • Robust: Compact, battery life up to 10 years, easy to mount in lid.
Milesight EM500-SWL

Milesight EM500-SWL

The Level Watcher

Submersible Water Level Sensor for fill and water level measurements.

  • Robust: Designed for harsh environments, up to 10 years battery life.
  • Application: Water tank, river or flood level monitoring.
Milesight UG67

Milesight UG67

The City Gateway

Outdoor gateway for the LoRaWAN network.

  • Range: Few gateways on tall buildings cover the entire city area.
  • Weatherproof: IP67, -40°C to +70°C, for roof or mast mounting.

Frequently Asked Questions from Municipalities

No. We build a LoRaWAN network. It works like a "city WiFi" for sensors. Thousands of sensors use just a few central gateways. This saves massive recurring costs compared to cellular solutions for every trash bin.
Yes. We don't use cameras that capture license plates or faces. We use magnetic field or ultrasonic sensors that only report "Occupied/Free" (physical presence of a metal object). This is completely anonymous and GDPR-uncritical.
Through merkaio dev. We provide open APIs (interfaces). Your app developers can easily retrieve and display the data (e.g., "Free parking at Market Square"). We deliver the data, you determine the presentation.
We handle that with merkaio ops. We monitor the gateways, deploy security updates and manage sensor battery life. Your IT doesn't have to deal with radio technology.
The payback is often surprisingly fast. By switching from fixed routes ("Empty every Tuesday, even if empty") to demand-based collection ("Only at >80% fill level"), cities can often save 30-50% of trips. This saves fuel, staff time and reduces CO2. The sensor hardware often pays for itself within 12-18 months.
An important topic in public spaces. The sensors we use (Milesight EM series) are IK08/IK10 impact-resistant certified. Waste sensors are screwed into the container lid and are barely visible or accessible from outside. Ground sensors are firmly anchored or glued in the asphalt. Additionally, the devices immediately report vibrations ("Shock Alarm").
Yes. LoRaWAN is excellent for Smart Lighting. We can retrofit controllers in street lamps to centrally dim or switch them. The mesh network of the lamps simultaneously increases the range for other sensors (e.g., parking) on the street.
That's exactly where LoRaWAN excels. Unlike WiFi or LTE, which use high frequencies, the 868 MHz signal "bends" better around building corners and penetrates masonry. With one or two strategically placed gateways (e.g., on the church tower or town hall), even winding old towns can usually be completely covered.
No. The municipal LoRaWAN network we build is open. You can use Milesight waste sensors today and add level sensors from another manufacturer tomorrow. The infrastructure (gateways & server) remains the same. This protects investments and prevents dependencies.

Let's discuss your infrastructure. Digital and on-site.

Whether it's IoT platform development, hardware selection, managed hosting for ChirpStack, ThingsBoard, Grafana or NetBird VPN, or migration from a self-hosted setup - we'll find the right solution for your use case. Book a free 30-minute consultation, no commitment required.

Timo Wevelsiep

Your contact

Timo Wevelsiep

Founder, merkaio

15 minutes, no commitment, directly with Timo.

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy.